Environmentalists, Atv Riders Squaring Off Over Forest Trails

Environmentalist and riders of all-terrain vehicles are squaring off over plans to designate up to 240 miles of trails in the George Washington National Forest for use by all-terrain vehicles.

Riders of ATVs, popular three- and four-wheeled motorized vehicles, say they just want a place to ride. But environmentalist and those who live near the George Washington forest say ATVs cause erosion and ATV riders have no respect for wildlife.

"It seems to be an emotional or polarized issue," said Steve Parsons, planning staff officer for the forest. "There's not much middle ground."

A presidential order during the Nixon administration said riding off-road and all-terrain vehicles was a legitimate use of national forests, Parsons said. "It's another form of recreation, like hunting, fishing and other things."

ATVs are much smaller than such off-road vehicles as Jeeps, which have been allowed for years on designated roads in the 1 million acre forest stretching from Winchester to Covington.

"We're very much opposed to any ATV trails in any part of the forest," said Crickett Hammond of Goshen, one of 50 people who attended a meeting there in October to rally opposition to ATV trails in the forest. "I've seen them riding up and down throwing beer cans and chasing bear and deer until they dropped."

Hammond, a retired registered nurse with property in Augusta County near the forest, cited damage to soil and increased poaching as reasons to keep all-terrain vehicles out of the forest.

"Most have no respect for the wild kingdom. ATV people are not the sort of people we want around. I believe in equal rights for everyone. But they have no right to tear up the national forest land. If they want a place to ride, let them buy there own land and do what they want with it. The taxpayer shouldn't have to pay for it."

But Gary Shears, an ATV rider who works at Early's Cycle Center in Harrisonburg, said "the forest is for public use, for public recreation."

ATV riders can police themselves, Shears said. Riders also can help the forest service maintain trails.